Kevin Macdonald Covid doc ordered by ITV

UK broadcaster ITV has commissioned a feature-length documentary about the Covid-19 pandemic from Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald.

Kevin Macdonald (photo: 9EkieraM1 via CC)

The Year that Changed Britain (working title) tells the story of the coronavirus in the UK through the experience of people immersed in its impact, both personally and professionally.

Coproduced by Lawrence Elman and Nick Fraser’s Docsville Studios, Altitude Factual and Expanded Media, the doc has secured unprecedented access to intensive care units (ICUs) across the country and will offer insight into the working lives of ICU staff and the patients they treat.

The Year that Changed Britain will be released in UK and Irish cinemas by Altitude Film Distribution in 2021.

Exec producing for Docsville are Elman, Fraser and Katie Buchanan, along with Altitude founder Will Clarke and head of factual Paul Sowerbutts. Joining them from Expanded Media are MD Francis Hopkinson and Liz Thorburn.

Macdonald, the director behind films including The Last King of Scotland, said: “As we are living with the unfolding pandemic and we are enduring and adapting to how this affects us all, this film is crucial to our comprehension of what our future will look like. We are able to watch first-hand how the landscape of our lives changes.”

Separately, ITV has commissioned a one-off music special Take That singer Gary Barlow that will take place at the Natural History Museum in London.

Gary Barlow’s Night at the Museum will see the singer-songwriter perform new music from his latest album in addition to some of his greatest hits, while accompanied by an orchestra. He will also be joined by special guests including Michael Bublé.

The special will be produced by ITV Studios, with Sally Wood and creative director Fiona Clark exec producing.

Finally, ITV has also commissioned a second season of gameshow Rolling In It, following its season one premiere earlier this year.

Produced by Over the Top Productions, Rolling In It sees three teams – made up of one non-famous contestant and one celebrity – compete to win a cash prize.

The teams have to roll a coin down a moving conveyor belt towards slots that are labelled with large cash sums. But to win, they must avoid the ‘Bankrupt’ slots, which would see them lose everything.

The exec producers for Over the Top Productions are David Hall and Nigel Hall. Fremantle holds global format rights to the gameshow.